Jon Miller and Joe Morgan spent 21 seasons together in ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” booth, an extraordinarily long run in the world of national sports television. But there will not be a 22nd.

With both of their contracts having expired, ESPN decided it was time to make the long-anticipated move to replace them and give the booth a fresh sound.

ESPN did not name a replacement, but The New York Times [NYT] reported the leading candidate is Dan Shulman, long one of the network’s most respected play-by-play men.

Orel Hershiser, who joined Miller and Morgan last season, presumably would stay on as an analyst. Bobby Valentine could serve as a third man in the booth, the Times reported.

Miller might stay with the company as the radio voice of ESPN’s Sunday games, but Morgan will not. For years the Hall of Fame second baseman’s work has been a target of many critics in the media and among fans.

Miller’s primary job is as play-by-play voice of the World Series champion Giants, whose crowning moment he called on radio for ESPN alongside Morgan. Miller received the Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award this past summer.

“Jon and Joe have contributed greatly to the success of ’Sunday Night Baseball’ for the past 21 seasons,” ESPN executive vice president Norby Williams said in a statement.

“Over the last two decades, Joe went from Hall of Fame player to one of his sport’s top analysts and Jon’s Hall of Fame voice and tremendous knowledge of the game have connected with baseball fans everywhere. We owe them our deepest thanks for an outstanding body of work.”

3 Responses to “The End of an ERA: ESPN forces the divorce of Joe Morgan and Jon Miller”

Pardon me for saying this but ESPN is now become somewhat similar to Fox News as in the way that they simply treat minority employees. They ought to be seen but not heard too often.

That dumb ass Juan Williams and his asinine notion that every time he get on board a flight and there happens to be a Muslim on board he feel unsafe . If that’s not an indication of his bigotry and sheer stupidity then what is ?

Breaking news for ESPN now is when one of their guys happens to be flatulent. They’ve about as much credibility as both legislative houses up on Capitol Hill , DC !

Is it true that Auburn’s Cam Newton is now seeking advice from Reggie Bush ?